German Pancake Recipe from Masterchef Contestant Lauren Lawless

Make Dutch Babies Like a Pro

By Lauren Lawless

Lauren Lawless

My daughter's name is Beverly; she is ten years old and my best friend. Beverly and I have a Sunday morning ritual. On Sundays, bright and early, we both jump out of bed and rush to the kitchen to make our famous German pancakes, otherwise know as Dutch babies.

The great thing about these pancakes is that you can make many variations; there ars blueberry, chocolate, lemon, bananas foster, or even caramel apple. This isn't the healthiest breakfast, but it is one of the most delicious. It's one of our favorite things to do together, and I hope you all share our recipe with your loved ones and get them. It's memories like these that I cherish. Enjoy! Makes 4 servings.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place oven rack on the middle rack of your oven. Place a large, heavy ovenproof frying pan or cast iron skillet in the oven until hot and sizzling. While pan is heating, prepare your batter.

Use a shallow pan, not more than 3 inches deep (pie pans, cast iron skillets, oven-proof fry pans, baking dishes, paella pans). A cast iron skillet or pan acts as a heat reservoir, retaining the heat and distributing it evenly.

In a large bowl or blender, beat the eggs until light and frothy; add milk, flour, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Beat for 5 minutes more. The batter will be thin, but very smooth and creamy.

Using pot holders, remove the skillet from the oven. Add the butter, tilting the pan to melt the butter and coat the skillet. Pour the prepared batter into the hot skillet all at once, and immediately return the skillet to the oven.

Bake approximately 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown (bake until the pancake puffs up around the edges - it may puff irregularly in the center). The timing will also depend on the size of your pan or skillet.

Carefully remove the pancake from the oven. Once out of the oven, the pancake will begin to deflate. I normally serve the pancake in the pan it was cooked in.

To serve, cut into serving-size wedges and transfer to individual serving plates. Top with your favorite topping and serve immediately. For a classic German Pancake/Dutch Baby, sprinkle with freshly squeezed lemon juice and dust the top with powdered sugar. Enjoy!